Madeleines

I have no idea where my love of madeleines developed from. At some point in the past year, I knew that I liked them but I don’t know when I had had them. I do know that the ones usually available in the US are expensive (seriously, Trader Joe’s sells them for about $1 per cookie) and not particularly good.

This summer, I had decided that at some point in the indefinite future I was going to get madeleine pans. Whenever we’d go into a store that would sell esoteric kitchen supplies, I’d look for them and determine that I really didn’t want to buy a single use pan (Alton Brown would be upset with me now) for $12 (realizing that I’d probably need at least two to make them effectively).

When my in-laws came to visit, we tend to end up at shopping locations more frequently. As I was still on my quest, I continued to look for them and mentioned to my in-laws. About a week after they had left, a package arrived in the mail for Angela and I and, lo and behold, there were two non-stick madeleine pans inside. Apparently, my mother-in-law had decided that she needed to go out and buy them for me right away. Her decision was my gain.

This isn’t the first time I’ve made madeleines but the first time I’ve used this recipe. This recipes seems to produce a better texture but the other recipe (from Susan Herrmann Loomis) seemed to make one with better flavor. I think I may combine the two at a later date. Either way, madeleines are always good.